The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-02-05
SATURDAY, FEB. 8. 1887.
MOrmonism.

munication in defence of Mormonism.
over the signature of N. L. Nelson.
We do not know Mr.. Nelson, nor do
we know from whence he came. We
suppose, however, that he is one of
the two young men who are endeav.
oring to convert the residents of Nc
Henry to the Mormon faith. Taking
this for granted, we should not notice
the communication except for the
fact that five respectable citizens of
Garrett county, whose names we for
the present withhold from the pub.
lie, unite in request that we publish
the communication above referred to.
It may be due these five gentle
men, who say they are subscribers
and patrons of the REPUBLICAN, that
we give them our reasons for refusing
to accede to their request.
In the first place, we do not be-
lieye these gentlemen entertain the
sentiments expressed in the commu-
nication which they have requested
us to publish. The most charitable
construction we can place upon their
action, is that they did not know the
contents of the communication, but
simply signed the request upon the
solicitation of some designing person.
The record of Mormonism is the
foulest blot upon the pages of Amer.
lean history, and Mormonism is a
disgrace to our civilization. Any
body who has sunk so low in the
moral, social or political scale as to
advocate its doctrines or teachings
cannot have the columns of this
paper for that purpose.
The leaders of the Mormon church
have been from the date of its organ.
ization. and still are, men of brutal
impulses. A large majority of their
converts are drawn from the ignorant
classes, and polygamy, the central or
cardinal doctrine which they teach.
dppCdl6 W tu0 luoto duu AOWCob poo-
sions of human nature.
Polygamy as practiced by the Nor
mons is not only stencil in the nos
trils of all decent people. but is a
violation of law, both Divine and
human. The REPUBLICAN cannot
endorse such an abomination, not
even at the request of five subscribers.
The communication is both filthy
and blasphemous, and could not ap-
pear in our columns for this, if for no
other reason. And, besides, as bad
as Mormonism is, we do not know
that Mr.. Nelson Is its accredited
agent. MormOnism may not recog-
nize him and may repudiate his utter
ances.
We feel quite certain that If the
gentlemen who have made this sim
gular request of US were at all famil.
lar with the record of crime which
constitutes the history of Mormon
ism, they would never have allowed
themselves to be placed in such
false position. We desire to call their
attention to a few facts, viz:
WHAT DOES THE CHURCH TEACH?
"The Mormon church teaches that
there are many gods. and that emf
nent saints become gods in heaven,
and rise one above another in power
and glory to infinity. Joseph Smith
is now the god of this generation.
His superior god is Jesus. whose
superior god and father is Adam.
Above Adam is Jehovah, and above
Jehovah lie Elohim. All of these
gods have many wives and they all
rule over their own descendants who
are constantly increasing in number
and dominion. The glory of a saint
when he becomes a god depends in
some degree on the number of his
wives and children, and, therefore,
polygamy is inculcated and wives
are sealed to saints here on earth to
augment their power in the heavens.
The gods are in the form of men and
they are the fathers of the souls OF
men in this world"
WHAT IS ITS ORIGIN?
The book of Mormon Is collection
of sixteen distinct books protesting
to be written at different periods by
successive prophets, but it is a we'll
authenticated fact that the book is
an imaginary narrative of the Amer
lean Indians, who the writer endeav.
ors 10 show are the descendants OF
the ten lost tribes of the Jews, and
it is equally true that it was written
by Solomon Spaulding, who was 9
graduate Of Dartmouth College. In
1872 spaulding put his manuscript